Kansas lawmakers postpone business for funeral

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – Kansas legislators delayed the start of their work Thursday so that dozens of lawmakers could attend the funeral of a House member’s wife.

The House speaker’s office said Cunningham Republican Jack Thimesch’s wife, Diane, died over the weekend after a long illness. Her funeral was to be held Thursday morning at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Willowdale, about 70 miles southwest of Wichita and nearly 200 miles southwest of state capital of Topeka.

The speaker’s office said dozens of lawmakers planned to take a bus to the funeral.

The House was officially convening in the morning but wasn’t taking up substantial business until the evening. The Senate wasn’t gaveling in until the evening.